


A Beautiful Sunset

by TheWolfWithinMe



Category: Red Dead Redemption 2
Genre: Angst, M/M, Suicide, no happy ending, sorry - Freeform, two character deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 20:58:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17291309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWolfWithinMe/pseuds/TheWolfWithinMe
Summary: Arthur dies.But he’s not the only one.





	A Beautiful Sunset

“I gave you all I had... I did.”

Dutch never thought he would see the day Arthur died. Even though there was only five years between them, he had always assumed that the younger male would outlive him. 

But no.

The universe had other ideas. 

And he found himself unable to watch, unable to admit that he had fucked up, unable to /apologise/. 

Completely broken and with grief threatening to pull him down and drown him, Dutch turned on his heels and walked away. 

Leaving Micah.

Leaving Arthur. 

He had barely reached halfway down the mountain when a gunshot rang out — sending birds flapping into the sky. 

And he knew.

Knew that Arthur had gone. 

He should be angry, should go straight back up there and put a dozen bullets into Micah’s stupid head, but he was suddenly struggling to see. Hot, painful tears were blurring his vision and all he could do was walk. Walk away from the last piece of his sanity. Walk away from the only thing that had been keeping him together since Hosea’s death. 

Mentally, he had checked out. His thoughts now back with young Arthur and Hosea. 

They were in a hotel room, happy — celebrating — and carefree after a job well done. Arthur was tipsy, a half empty glass of whiskey in one hand. He was only sixteen, yet had pouted and thrown Dutch puppy dog eyes until the older man relented. Now he was half asleep against Dutch’s shoulder, a sliver of drool staining his shirt. Not that Dutch minded. 

Something about Arthur made him soft.

Made him feel /human/ again. 

If he believed in soul mates, then Arthur was definitely his. They balanced each other out. When one was angry, the other remained calm. When Dutch hated the world, Arthur stayed by his side until a smile was visible again. When Arthur missed his parents, Dutch comforted him in any way that he could. 

And soon, people would never see one without the other. 

Dutch tripped on a rock as he walked, tears streaming down his cheeks and clinging on for dear life. 

“I’m so sorry, Arthur...”

Another memory. Arthur had been shot. He was twenty one now. A fine young man, full of life... and love. 

As the doctor worked to stem the bleeding, Dutch sat by his side. Face pale with worry. 

“Why so scared, old man?” Arthur had teased, still trying to comfort him even though he was the one who needed it. “I’m gonna outlive you.~” 

He had laughed, squeezed his hand and — when the doctor wasn’t looking — pressed a tender kiss to Arthur’s lips. 

Dutch knew he would never laugh again. His fingers twitched over one of his guns and he pulled the weapon free. 

This time they were at Hosea and Bessie’s wedding, drunk as skunks and dancing with each other. Arthur’s fingers were clumsily trying to paw at Dutch’s shirt, and he even managed to get a few buttons undone before the older man lifted him up, tossed him over his shoulder and stumbled somewhere with more privacy. 

Which just so happened to be Hosea and Bessie’s honeymoon suite. 

Dutch could feel the ghost of a smile on his lips and he finally stopped walking. In front of him was the most beautiful sunset he had ever seen. 

 

“If you read all of this by nightfall, I promise to take you wherever you want to go.” Dutch cooed, trying to get a young — and stubborn — Arthur to study. 

Arthur, who had been doodling instead, finally looked up. Light eyes meeting dark. 

“Anywhere?”

“Anywhere.”

He chewed on the pen Hosea had given him last Christmas and mulled it over. When Dutch thought he had lost the battle, Arthur answered. 

“Tahiti.”

 

The gun was now pressed firmly against Dutch’s temple. He never did get Arthur to Tahiti. It was just another thing he had failed. Another time he had let Arthur down. 

Taking a deep breath, he watched and waited until the sun had dipped below the horizon. Then, with a voice so perfectly calm, he said—

“Arthur... I’ll see you soon.” 

Before pulling the trigger.


End file.
